Meeting the Parents
by Chibi Kitsune1
Summary: After defeating Vandal Savage, Sara Lance makes an important life-altering decision. She returns to Star City to tell her father. Rip Hunter tags along. Very non-canon.
1. Quentin

**MEETING THE PARENTS (QUENTIN)  
**

Disclaimer: All characters do not belong to me but to their respective creators. None of the events are canon, they are merely my take on what could happen or what could have happened behind the scenes.

"Remember, you are not to mention anything about what you saw happening to this city in the future," he said as he walked quickly to keep in pace with her. "Especially not about what you saw in 2046. That was a potential future that will probably never come to be, so there is really no reason for you to talk about—"

"Enough, Rip!" her voice was ripe with annoyance. "We have been over this many times. Brief summary. No details. I am not an idiot."

"I apologize," he said. "It's just that I have never done this before."

Sara Lance stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to look closely at the time master.

"Captain Rip Hunter," Sara's voice had a teasing tone. "Are you nervous about meeting my father?"

Rip shifted uncomfortably.

"Of course not," he mumbled. "I am merely concerned about his reaction to your news. After all, at this point in time, he is suffering from a heart condition."

"You _are_ nervous!" she laughed. "I don't get it. You met him when he was taken by the Pilgrim. This is technically not the first time you will meet him."

"I met him at a time when all he knew was that an older version of his teenage daughter went off in my time-travelling spaceship to save the world," he explained. "This version of Quentin Lance has gone through the hell of losing you when he thought you drowned in the Pacific, experienced your tumultuous homecoming as a former member of the League of Assassins, the pain of your second death and the uncertainty of your resurrection, and then you went off to partake in a very dangerous mission to save the future. Top that all off with the death of your sister."

The last sentence quickly sobered her up.

"So, yes, I am a little bit nervous about meeting a father and telling him that I intend to take his only surviving daughter away, and that I am not entirely certain I will be able to bring her back," he said quietly.

"Well, don't tell him that way," she said with a small smile. Rip continued to frown. "You know, you didn't have to come with me to do this. I could have told them on my own."

"I couldn't let you do that," he shook his head. "If a daughter of mine ever decided to go off with a strange man in a time-travelling spaceship, I would prefer to get to meet the bastard. As a courtesy, you see."

"Right," she smirked. "Come on then, his apartment is right around the corner."

"Lead the way," he bowed.

She was about to turn away when she noticed a glint of light from under his coat.

"What is that?" she asked as she stepped closer to him. She had her hands under his coat before he could even see what she was looking at.

"Wha—"

She snatched the weapon from its holster and waved it in front of his face angrily.

"What the hell, Rip? You brought a weapon?" she exclaimed.

"It's a stun gun," he disputed. "It's the same one I used on you when I kidnapped… er, recruited you."

"Were you planning on using this on my dad?"

"It was just a precaution," he started. She wasn't about to let him finish.

"What?" she was spitting mad. "Were you going to kidnap him if he said 'no'?"

"Of course not," he sputtered. "I thought that just in case you revealed too much of the future, I could bring them into the Waverider and administer some short term memory altering pills."

"Wow," she sneered. "Thank you so much for your trust in me."

She shoved the stun gun at his chest and walked angrily away from him.

"Sara!" he called out as he ran after her. He grabbed her shoulder as he reached her. The look she gave him as she turned to face him should have killed him on the spot.

"I'm sorry, I do trust you," he said quickly. "I trust you with my life. I would not ask you to come with me if I didn't. But, you have to admit that being around your family makes you emotional. I just couldn't risk the timeline for your emotions."

Her eyes narrowed. Rip quickly concluded that he said the exact wrong thing.

"Here," he pushed the stun gun into her hands. "Take it. I am trusting you to tell them anything you want. I will not interfere by altering their memories, or by any means. You are in complete control of this meeting."

Sara looked at the device in her hands and nodded slowly. "Fine," she said as she pocketed the stun gun. She gestured to the door next to her. "This is my father's apartment."

"Ready?" she asked him as she stood poised to knock. He swallowed visibly and nodded.

The door opened within a minute of her three short knocks. Captain Quentin Lance himself answered the door.

"Daddy," Sara greeted him enthusiastically with a hug. Her father returned her hug with equal exuberance. She stepped aside to introduce the man standing behind her. "Dad, this is Rip—"

Her introduction was cut short as Captain Lance drew back his fist and landed a square punch on Rip Hunter's unsuspecting jaw. Rip fell back against the wall behind him.

"Dad, stop!" Sara yelled as she held her father back.

"That was not an entirely unexpected greeting," Rip muttered under his breath as he straightened.

"I know exactly who he is, Sara," Captain Lance said rubbing his fist. "I vaguely remembered seeing him when you were a teenager and then when I saw his face again, all the memories came crashing back. He kidnapped you!"

"No, Dad," she dissented. "I kidnapped me when I was a teenager, along with a few friends."

"What?" the police captain was more than a little confused.

"I'll explain everything once we're inside," she said. "Can we please go inside? We can't have this conversation in the hallway. And frankly that smell coming from the kitchen is making me hungry." Sara tried a cajoling smile to pacify him.

"Donna's cooking," Captain Lance said as he cast a wary eye on Rip. He stepped aside to let them through.

After a little while, Rip, Captain Lance and the captain's girlfriend, Donna Smoak, were sitting in the living room listening to Sara's narrative of what happened since she stepped into the Waverider. Captain Lance wasn't about to exclude Donna from the conversation despite Sara's initial disagreement. He explained that she was as much a part of the family as any one person. Surprisingly, Rip made no objection.

"Wait, so, all this time, you've been with a team in his spaceship on a mission to save the future," Captain summarized. "You weren't coerced?" Sara shook her head. "And he's your captain? Your commanding officer?"

That remark drew a snort from Rip as he said, "I think we both know that nobody commands your daughter, Captain Lance."

"Damn, right," Quentin Lance grinned at his daughter.

Sara rolled her eyes at them but smiled as she continued her narrative. "So, anyway, without going into too many details that could possibly undo everything we've accomplished, I wanted to come here to let you know that we've succeeded in stopping Vandal Savage."

"Then, you're done?" her father's voice was fairly bursting with joy. "You're coming home? To stay?"

"Er, that's actually the second reason I came to see you," she glanced furtively at Rip. "I've decided to stay with Rip."

"Why?" Quentin Lance asked. Sara's words choked her as she looked into his heart broken eyes.

"Because I've asked her to become my partner," Rip answered for her. "Time masters have worked alone for centuries. However, after what my team was able to accomplish, the Time Masters Council recognized the advantages of allowing a time master to have companions. They cannot sanction a team as large as I used to have but they agreed that time masters are now allowed to chose one companion to support them in their missions. And as I have been recently reinstated into my position as a time master, I asked Sara, your daughter, to be my equal partner, for as long as she will have me."

Rip's statement was met with silence. Sara could see in her father's eyes the signs of sadness and defeat. She could almost hear him beg her to stay home, to be safe, with him. And almost at the same moment he would resist the part of himself that would allow himself to go against what his daughter needed herself to be. It was tearing her apart to see him struggle with himself. She closed her eyes. Rip was right, she would have been pouring out her soul to the man who raised her if the time master wasn't around.

"Wait," Donna Smoak's voice piped up for the first time. She had been taking a long while to process what she had just heard, "when you say 'partner for as long as she'll have you', do you mean like a life-partner? Is it like a marriage? You asked Sara to marry you?"

"What?" Quentin Lance looked at Rip Hunter with an expression that Sara could not interpret as anything but hope.

Hope?

Everything clicked into place in Sara's mind.

"Yes!" Sara declared.

"No." Rip spoke evenly at the same time.

"No?" Captain Lance frowned at Rip.

"Yes?" Rip looked at Sara in wonder at the moment he heard her answer her father.

"Oh, dammit," Sara swore as she whipped out the stun gun and aimed it at her father and Donna. Within two seconds, Quentin and Donna were unconscious.

"What did you just do?!" Rip cried out.

"Sorry, I panicked," she mumbled as she watched Rip check on her dad.

He looked at her incredulously. "You never panic," he pointed out.

"Oh, God," she buried her face in her hands. "What have I done?"

Rip sighed and sat beside her. "It's alright. They'll be fine, as you well know, the stun gun has no lasting effect. We can wake them up in the Medbay of the Waverider to make absolutely sure."

He totally misunderstood her distress, but she wasn't about to tell him. Instead, she nodded.

"And for the record, I had no idea that you thought I was asking you to marry me," he said. "My intentions were for a purely professional partnership due to the fact that you have been instrumental to the success of the missions we have been on. Had I known that you had romantic inclinations towards me—"

Sara groaned and got up from the sofa.

"I do not have romantic inclinations!" she cried. "Of course, I knew you weren't asking me to marry you."

"Then, why on earth did you let you father think that I did?"

"Because it is the only way he would let me go without breaking his heart," she said softly.

Rip couldn't find an adequate response to her words.

"You said it yourself, my father has been through so much because of me and Laurel," she told him as she moved to the couch where her father slumped. "I could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes. I was leaving him again to face indefinite danger. He will be staying up at night wondering if I'm still alive and he will never have any peace for the rest of his life.

"But, if he thinks that I am doing it to be with the man I love," she gestured at Rip with a grimace, "he might still have chance at a happy and peaceful life. Or at least, he will actually get to sleep at night."

"And if you can manage to keep that expression of disgust off of your face when you tell him you're in love with me, you might actually convince him," Rip mocked. "Come on, Sara, are you really going to lie to your father for the rest of his life?"

"You're one to talk," she bit back. "I'm doing this to protect his sanity. I have to make him believe that at least one of his daughters is living happily ever after," she argued. "And you're going to help me."

Rip snorted. "Or what?"

Sara looked at him with a raised brow. There was really no need to answer.

Rip touched the communicator inside his ear.

"Gideon, fly the jumpship to my location," he commanded. "We are having Miss Lance's parents over for dinner."

888888

"How are you feeling?"

Captain Lance shook his head to get rid of the remaining cobwebs in his brain.

"What the hell did you do to me?" he asked Rip as he got up from the medical bed. He refused the time master's help to get up.

"That was actually me, Daddy," Sara answered as she helped Donna Smoak get up.

"Where are we?" Donna asked, still a little woozy.

"You're in the Medbay of my ship," Rip said. There was a hint of pride in his voice he couldn't hide.

"This is where you lived when you went away?" Captain Lance asked.

"Yes, Dad," she said.

"And this is where you're planning to stay for the rest of your life?" he asked his daughter.

"I've made a commitment to Rip," Sara said evasively. That wasn't a lie.

"You're really going to marry this guy?" Lance frowned. "What do you even really know about him? I know you said you traveled through space and time with him, but come on? You're trying to tell me you love him enough to make a life-long commitment but you won't tell me where he comes from or when he comes from. This guy could be a cold-blooded murderer."

"The guy is standing right here, listening," Rip muttered. Father and daughter ignored him. Donna patted his arm.

"I know everything I need to know about him," Sara said as she took her father's hands in hers. This was it. The moment of truth. She needs to convince him enough to let her go.

"I trust him, Daddy. I know him and how his mind works. And he knows how to deal with me and my bloodlust. We saved the world together. And I want to stay with him. Daddy, I believe in him. Please believe in me." Again, no lies.

Quentin Lance looked into his daughter's eyes and knew that she was telling him the truth. She was in love with the time-traveling bastard and there was nothing he could do but let her go to the man she loved. He gathered his daughter in his arms and kissed her head.

"OK, sweetheart," he whispered against her hair.

Donna wiped a tear from her eye. Rip shifted on his feet uncomfortably.

"I can't say I'm entirely unhappy that you're marrying a man," said Captain Lance. With a look at Sara's face, he quickly explained, "I have nothing against your ex-girlfriends and I would have been perfectly happy if you told me you wanted to spend the rest of your life with any of them. But your dad is a forward-thinking old-fashioned guy who wanted a couple of grandkids."

Sara rolled her eyes and groaned. Rip simply stared at him blankly.

"At least that becomes a possibility now, right?" Captain Lance smiled.

"They probably haven't actually talked about that yet," Donna saved them from answering. "Rip, dear, why don't you show your future father-in-law around your spaceship."

It was hard to tell who was more uncomfortable around the term 'future father-in-law', Rip or Quentin, but neither one balked at leaving the Medbay.

"Well, that went better than expected," Donna said as she turned to her boyfriend's daughter.

"Thanks for being so calm," Sara smiled. "I know all this is a lot to take in. We weren't really supposed to bring either of you here but things got complicated."

"Felicity thinks she protects me by keeping secrets, but I've learned that the truth is better at protecting us than the lie," Donna said. "Except when the truth is sure to keep a father up at night."

Sara looked at her sharply. "You know?"

"That you and your handsome captain aren't exactly engaged?" Donna smiled knowingly. "If I remember correctly, I gave you that idea."

"But—"

"Sara, I saw his heart breaking the same time you did," Donna told the blond assassin. "I am not very smart, and honestly this time traveling thing is beyond me. But things are simple when you're in love. And like you, I know how the mind of _my captain_ works. Yes, we are lying to him, and yes, maybe we are just delaying the inevitable. But if I can give him even a little peace of mind with this lie, I am not about to take it away. Besides, it might not be a lie for long."

"What?" Sara quickly realized what Donna was implying. "No. You already know that I'm not actually in love with Rip. I am not really marrying him."

"Yeah, so you say," Donna shrugged nonchalantly.

"And I am not ever going to be," Sara insisted. "He is not my type."

"OK, sweetie," Donna patted her cheek. "Just make sure to come visit with those couple of grandkids really soon. Your dad and I aren't getting any younger. We can set a play date with Felicity's kids when she decides to have them."

"There will be no kids!"

"There is no way you can say that for sure," Donna said.

"Yes, there is," Sara's eyes lit up. "Gideon, search the timeline for grandchildren of Quentin Lance and Donna Smoak. And I am talking about direct descendants, not from siblings or cousins, but from their own children."

"Yes, Miss Lance," the AI's voice filled the room. Donna looked up in surprise.

"That's Gideon, a powerful super computer who has access to all timelines," Sara explained, almost bragging.

"Miss Lance, there are a total of eight recorded grandchildren directly descending from the children of Quentin Lance and Donna Smoak," Gideon announced.

Donna gasped in delight. Sara's eyes widened like saucers.

"Whose kids are they?" Sara demanded.

"What's going on?" Rip asked as he and Quentin Lance walked in.

"Oh, Quentin, we're going to have eight grandchildren," Donna laughed as she walked into Captain Lance's open arms.

"Sara, what did you do?" Rip asked with trepidation.

"I asked Gideon how many grandkids my father and Donna are going to have," she said absently. "Gideon, tell me whose kids they are!"

"No, Gideon, do not answer that question!" Rip commanded. "Sara, you cannot disrupt the timeline this way. Haven't you seen enough to know how dangerous it is for anyone to know too much about the future?"

Sara ignored him and turned to Donna. "How many kids do you have?"

"Just Felicity," she smiled widely. Still giddy from the anticipation of grandchildren.

"Dad, please tell me you have a secret family stashed away somewhere," she all but begged her father.

"Sweetheart," he said. "You should know the answer to that by now."

"I am not going to have eight kids!" Sara yelled as she walked out of the Medbay.

"Oh, don't worry," Donna called out. "Maybe Felicity will have seven of the eight."

They heard a loud crash followed by Sara's very angry scream.

 **The End…. For now**


	2. Dinah

**MEETING THE PARENTS (DINAH)**

"We have arrived," Rip Hunter said as he landed the jumpship in an abandoned lot behind two buildings.

"We're in Central City already?" Quentin Lance checked his watch, "it hasn't been five minutes."

"Just one of the wonders of the 22nd century technology," Rip winked at him.

Sara Lance unfastened her seat straps and leaned forward to look at her father and his girlfriend, Donna Smoak, who sat across from her.

"Now, when we get to Mom's house, please don't mention anything about the Waverider, Gideon, or what we accidentally revealed to you about the future," she said gravely. "And please do not say anything about time travel or the Time Ma –"

She stopped at midsentence and looked at Rip. "Am I starting to sound like you?" she asked him with a frown.

Rip gave her a sidewise glance. "Little bit," he agreed.

Sara made a face and shook her head. "Let's just go," she said.

Captain Lance and Donna got up gingerly, still a little awkward inside the unfamiliar setting of the vehicle.

"I don't understand why we had to use this new-fangled ship anyway," Captain Lance murmured. "We could have driven or taken the train. Now, I have to explain to your mother how we got here so quickly."

"I am sure they have their reasons, Honey," Donna said, patting her boyfriend's arm.

Sara touched the control panel to open the door and motioned for them to step out. "We'll be out in a bit," she told them.

She turned toward Rip as soon as the door closed behind them.

"Your desire to show off to my father aside, why did we use the jumpship?" she asked. "Like Dad said, we could have driven. It would have been less suspicious to my Mom."

"The truth is I just wanted to get this episode of telling your parents you're going away with me over with," he told her honestly. "Actually, I still don't understand why we have to tell your mother. She isn't as embroiled in the vigilante universe as your father is, so she really doesn't have that much of a clue about what you're going to be doing. Now, we have to continue pretending to be engaged to each other in front of her as well. Couldn't we just let your father tell her about that himself?"

"You're right, my mother is not as involved in that part of my life as my Dad," Sara said. "But when Oliver announced to the world that Laurel was the Black Canary, she felt betrayed. She figured out that my Dad knew about Laurel's nightly activities. She was really angry and made him promise to tell her everything. He told her as much as he could without telling her everybody else's secret. So, of course, the moment he found out I was engaged, he had to tell her about it."

"And since we are supposed to be in a loving romantic relationship, we have to tell her personally… together," Rip finished wryly.

"Bingo!" she smiled. "But for the sake of the future, we're not telling her anything about my soon-to-be time traveling occupation."

"Wonderful, we're lying to your father about being engaged, and your father is lying to your mother about what your job really is," he said scornfully. "Does your family ever tell each other the truth?"

"Are you calling me black, Kettle?" she asked him derisively.

"Never mind," he mumbled. "You may join your father and Miss Smoak outside. I'll just camouflage the jumpship and be with you in a few minutes."

"Fine," she said as she opened the door. "Oh, and Rip?"

"Hm?"

"Leave the stun gun," she ordered him.

"'Leave the stun gun'" he mimicked once she was out of earshot. "Gideon, keep the communication lines open. If, or when, this meeting goes south, be prepared for immediate extraction."

"Yes, Captain," Gideon said.

Rip exited the jumpship soon after and joined the Lances in walking to the nearby town house of Sara's mother.

Dinah opened the door at Quentin's knock. Her face registered a mild surprise but it was immediately replaced by a welcoming smile.

"Quentin, Donna," she greeted them both with a hug and a cheek kiss. "I wasn't expecting you for another couple of hours. What did you do? Ride on the Flash's back?" she joked.

"Something like that," Quentin chuckled. "Actually, we didn't hit any traffic on our way and we had an excellent… er, driver." He nodded to Rip with a smile as he walked inside the house.

"Mom!" Sara cried excitedly when she reached Dinah.

"Hello, Sweetie," her mother greeted her. "I've missed you so much."

Mother and daughter hugged it out for a good two minutes before they allowed each other space to breathe.

"Mom," Sara finally said. "This is Rip Hunter."

Dinah looked at the man behind her daughter and all the warmth vanished from her face. She surveyed him coldly.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you," Rip extended his hand.

"I see," her voice was chilly. "Why don't you both come in." She turned away without shaking his hand.

Sara stared at her mother's retreating back for a second.

"That was cold," she observed.

"Yes, I've received a warmer reception from Mr. Snart than from your mother," Rip said. "Is she always so hostile towards your acquaintances?"

"No, she has always been friendly and accommodating of my boyfriends, and most of them were delinquents," she replied. "It must be you and your charming personality," she teased as she stepped into the house cheerfully.

Rip frowned at her but followed her into her mother's house. There was an interesting flutter in his chest at hearing himself lumped up with her former suitors.

They entered a well-lit living room and seated themselves on a small sofa beside the one occupied by the police captain and Miss Smoak. Dinah sat across from them.

"Is the Doctor home?" Donna asked.

"The Doctor?" Rip echoed.

"My husband," Dinah informed him. "No, he's still making his rounds in the hospital right now. He has to finish all his requirements within the week before he goes off again."

"Dinah's husband is with Doctors without Borders," Quentin clarified for Rip's sake. "He's always off to some third world country saving countless lives."

"A man with noble calling," Rip mused.

"So, you're the man who wants to marry my youngest daughter," Dinah stated without much ado. "Quentin tells me you're a captain. Law enforcement? Or military?"

"Her Majesty's Naval Services, actually, madam," Rip said smoothly. It was the cover story he and Sara came up with. "Formerly, at least. After I was released from my services, I became affiliated with a private, non-profit organization. I have been captaining my own vessel, the Waverider, for nearly a decade."

"And what does this organization do?" she asked.

"We sail around the world protecting endangered creatures," he explained. They also prepared for this line of questioning. "That is, indeed, how I met your daughter. I was up against a rather _savage_ threat to these creatures and found myself in need of a team to vanquish this threat. In my travels, I had learned about Miss Lance and her particular set of skills. She was, in fact, one of the first people I approached to join my crew. And as Captain Lance has no doubt informed you, she had been quite instrumental in the success of our mission."

"And then, I suppose, in the middle of vanquishing this evil, you fell in love with Sara and now you want to spend the rest of your life with her after knowing her for a few months. Is that what you want me to believe?" Dinah asked skeptically.

Sara was taken aback by her mother's open hostility. They hadn't prepared for her intense disbelief. She was about to respond when Rip spoke.

"I will not lie to you and say that it was love at first sight, that would be preposterous," he said. "Point of fact, Miss Lance clouted me in the face that first day we worked together. I suppose I deserved it for misleading her. But that moment made me see her and the team for their value not only as my helpmates for the mission but as individuals. I was so used to being on my own in the past and deferred only to my own counsel. But as I spent more time with your daughter, I found myself depend on her steadily. I almost lost her once, and it was then that I discovered that she had become very important to me. And that I was willing to fight the League of Assassins to get her back."

"That is so sweet," Donna gushed.

Rip looked earnest but Dinah was far from convinced.

"Words, Donna, can be twisted to mean anything," she remarked. "But body language cannot lie. Look at them, and tell me if you're looking at a romantically involved couple. They are on a small sofa and yet they are at least three inches apart. Not once have I seen him even touch her. He called her Miss Lance, for crying out loud. For all we know, he just wants her for the 'particular set of skills' and has no love for her whatsoever. I mean, they didn't even buy a ring to convince us that this engagement is nothing but a horrible charade."

"Mom," Sara spoke up in distress. Quentin was beginning to frown deeply as if starting to be convinced of the truth in Dinah's words. "You know, I'm not a ring person. I wouldn't know what to do with it. I would probably lose it after one day of wearing it. Rip knows that about me. And his gifts to me have always been well thought of and were exactly what I needed when he gave them to me."

Rip looked at her curiously. The last thing he gave her were the throwing stars that she used in her attempt to rescue Professor Stein from the Russians.

"And Rip is very British," Donna interjected. "As a people, they're not really into showing public displays of affection. He probably greets his mother with a handshake."

Sara had to bite the side of her cheek to keep from smiling. That was exactly how Rip greeted his adoptive mother at the Refuge.

"Speaking of which," Dinah continued in her interrogative tone. "Are we going to meet your family?"

"I have no family," he answered. "I do not know my parents. I had lived on the streets of London for as long as I could remember. The authorities found me and brought me to an orphanage where my adoptive mother, whom Miss La— er, Sara met, raised me and gave me a home until I was old enough to join the navy. In the navy, I met my wife Miranda."

"Rip, you don't have to," Sara interrupted him.

"Yes, I do," he said quietly. "I would rather they heard it from me."

"I met my wife when we were both recruited for the Royal Navy," he continued. "At that time, officers were not allowed to engage in romantic relationships with each other but we simply couldn't help ourselves. We fell in love. She left the Naval Services so that we could get married. We had a son, Jonas.

"During one of my missions for the Navy, my wife and son were violently murdered. The navy could not do anything to serve justice to the assailant. I couldn't continue serving them after that. From then on, I vowed to protect those who cannot protect themselves. It cannot bring my family back to me, but at least it was keeping others from losing theirs."

Dinah was only half listening. She had been watching Sara's face. Sara had been staring at Rip with a soft expression on her face since he began speaking. Dinah recognized that look. She knew what it meant. No matter how much she wanted to hate the man who was planning on taking her daughter away, she could not hate the man her daughter looked at with so much affection.

"I'm sorry," Quentin said sadly. "I had no idea you had such a hard life."

"It's not that bad," Rip said. "My really hard life brought to where I am now. If it hadn't been for my hard life, I wouldn't have met your daughter. And I wouldn't have had the mettle to deal with her if I hadn't gone through all that before meeting her."

He gave her a half smile. She smirked back at him.

Dinah sighed. The feeling was mutual. Donna may be right. They may not be outwardly affectionate in public but there was definite intimacy in the way they looked at one another. Their eyes knew each other very well.

"I suppose it's no surprise that you're attracted to him, Sara," Dinah said after a while. "You always liked guys with a great story. And he even looks like your grandfather."

Sara looked at her mother and then at Rip. "He looks like Grandpa Arthur?"

"My mother used to write for a travel magazine when she was younger, and so she, my father and their other friend would go off in countless adventures together. The travelling bug never left them even in retirement so they visited only occasionally," Dinah remembered. "But when they did, he was like a magnet to you, Sara. You wouldn't let him out of your sight and would follow him wherever he went. It took him almost two hours to tuck you in at night because you wouldn't stop asking for bedtime stories. And he always let you bully him into telling you more about where he's been."

"I don't remember everything," Sara said regretfully. "I only remember his story about a Roman soldier."

"You were young," Dinah said wistfully. "I don't blame you for wanting to go off sailing to the ends of the earth. It's in your blood. I understand your need for adventure. I am glad and consider you fortunate that you will be going off in escapades with the man you love." She finally smiled warmly at Rip.

Sara smiled in relief. They were going to pull this off after all.

"Have you decided on a date?" Dinah asked.

"A date?" Sara echoed.

"For the wedding, Sweetie," her mother smiled. "You have to give me at least one year to make the proper arrangements."

Sara and Rip looked at each other in alarm.

"We haven't actually—" Rip started.

"We were thinking of having a long engagement," Sara said at the same time.

"A very long engagement," Rip agreed with a nod.

"How long?" Quentin Lance's tone was laced with suspicion.

Sara searched frantically for an answer.

"You're planning on eloping, aren't you?" Donna piped up.

"What?" Four voices said in unison.

"Oh, it's what these youngster like doing these days," Donna said with a wave of her hand. "They think weddings are so old fashioned so they'd rather run away to some exotic location and get married under the shade of a coconut tree by a minister wearing a grass skirt. Since Rip has a ship, they'll probably go off to the South China Sea and we'll never hear about it until they're good and married. And with Rip being a captain, he can probably perform the wedding himself. He'll pick up a couple of people to sign as witnesses and then poof! They're married with no fuss."

"I don't think I'm allowed to perform a wedding ceremony on myself," Rip shook his head.

"And you shouldn't," Dinah exclaimed. "Sara, I like the fuss. Can't you just get married here? I know Central City isn't an exciting exotic island, but I just want to be a part of the wedding. I mean, when else will I get to throw a wedding party for my daughter. You're the only daughter I have left."

Sara groaned inwardly. She can't believe her mother played the Laurel card.

"Dinah, if the kids want to get married in an exotic island somewhere in the South Pacific, we shouldn't stop them. It's their wedding, and ultimately, it's their lives," Quentin was the voice of reason. Sara was prepared to hug the life out of him for that. Then he continued, "But that doesn't mean that we can't throw them a party," he said suggestively.

Dinah's eyes widened as she looked into Donna Smoak's eyes.

"An engagement party!" they said together.

Rip and Sara could almost see the gears turning inside both mothers' heads. It was frightening to see.

"How long are you going to be in town?" Dinah asked keenly.

"Not long," Rip answered. "We should actually be on our way. There really isn't time to prepare for any kind of party."

"You obviously haven't witnessed the talents of these ladies," Quentin said proudly.

"So true," Donna said. "I have at least three Central City caterers on speed dial, ever since Felicity, you know. You can never have too many caterer friends. They can be ready with a full menu within a day."

"And I have contacts with hotels. We can get the ritziest hotel ballroom booked in an instant," Dinah said. "How does tomorrow night sound to you, Donna?"

"That would be perfect," she answered. "Lots of time for the caterers."

"Good. Quentin, get the box of photo albums from inside the upstairs closet. We are going to need some of Sara's baby pictures for the engagement video presentation," Dinah commanded. "Then when you're done, open a bottle of wine from the kitchen and bring it over here. I'll start on the guest list."

"I'll call the caterer," Donna reached for her phone, as Quentin moved to the upstairs closet.

"Donna, what are you doing?" Sara hissed as she pulled Donna to the side of the room.

"I'm calling the caterer," she said innocently.

"You know that Miss Lance and I aren't really engaged," Rip whispered harshly.

"Yes, but look at them," Donna gestured to Sara's parents.

Quentin had placed the box of photo albums on the floor and had just returned to the living room with a bottle of wine and wine glasses. Dinah had been busily scribbling in her pad paper, asking Quentin for information about some of their mutual friends. Quentin sat on the floor and began looking through old pictures. He started chuckling at the first page and nudged Dinah to look at what he was laughing at. She smiled widely.

"I haven't seen them this happy since Laurel died," Donna said sadly. "Are you going to ask them to stop?"

Rip and Sara looked at each other. They both knew the answer to that.

"Sweetie," Dinah called out to Sara. "Can you give me the contact information of your teammates? Most of them are from Central City, right?"

"Oh, great idea," Donna smiled at Rip and Sara, then turned to join Sara's parents. "We should also invite those kids from STAR Labs."

Quentin agreed and made additional suggestions. Dinah jotted down names quickly. Donna started making calls.

"What is happening?" Sara asked in bewilderment as she watched the flurry of activity in front of them.

Rip stood next to her and said, "I bet you're wishing you had the stun gun right about now."

 **The End… till the engagement party**


	3. The Friends

**MEETING THE FRIENDS**

Sara Lance swore under her breath as the earring she had been putting on slipped from her fingers and rolled on the floor.

"Arrgh!" she groaned in frustration.

"Is everything alright, Miss Lance?" Gideon's voice entered the room.

"No! Nothing is alright!" Sara snapped. Having realized that she was being belligerent to a computer, she took a deep breath and apologized.

"There is no need to apologize, Miss Lance," the computer responded. "I do not have any feelings for you to hurt."

A small smile twisted in a corner of Sara's lips.

"Still, I was being cranky," she said. "Could you help me out, though? I seem to have lost my earring. It fell and rolled off somewhere and now I can't find it. Can you use your sensors or something to find it?" She looked around the fabricator room.

"There are no sensors in this room, Miss Lance, but a review of the surveillance video shows that your earring rolled under the bench on the south side of the room," Gideon said helpfully.

"Thank you, Gideon," Sara breathe as she bent to reach for the glittering piece of jewelry. She straightened abruptly when she realized something. "Wait, you have cameras in this room?"

"Yes, Miss Lance."

"I have been changing in this room since I came on board," Sara scowled. "I have been naked in this room, and you're telling me there have been cameras this whole time."

"All areas of the Waverider are vigilantly monitored for security purposes, Miss Lance," the computer explained. "But rest assured that you were afforded the utmost privacy and security footage of a private nature can only be accessed by the highest security clearance."

"And who has the highest security clearance?" Sara already guessed the answer. "Rip Hunter?"

"Of course, Miss Lance," the AI confirmed. "The Captain only reviews the footage when absolutely necessary."

"How often is 'absolutely necessary'?"

"Every night."

"I am going to cut your captain's eyes out," Sara growled.

"Speaking of the Captain, he has requested that you wear this with your dress," Gideon interrupted her vengeful thoughts.

"If you think, I am going to wear anything that perverted Brit wants me to –"

Sara stopped when a drawer opened at her left side to reveal an intricately designed box.

"What is it?" her eyes were still narrowed in annoyance but she could not deny her curiosity.

"The Captain expressed that it is a gift to commemorate your partnership," the AI answered. "He mentioned that he has been meaning to give it to you since you accepted his offer for partnership, however, he could not find an appropriate moment. Until now."

Sara lifted the box lid and gave released a soft breath of surprise.

"Did your fabricator make this?" she asked softly.

"No, Miss Lance," said Gideon. "It was commissioned by the Captain from a French clockmaker during one of our missions in the 1783, however due to the intricacies the Captain stipulated, it was several years after the intended recipient's demise that the timepiece was completed."

"Who was the intended recipient?"

"The Queen of France," Gideon answered.

Sara lifted timepiece from the box and studied it in her hand. It was slightly smaller than Rip's pocket watch. Instead of a fob or strap, the timepiece was attached to a chain that allowed it to be worn around the neck like a necklace.

"The hunter cover pattern is a new addition to the original design. The Captain believed it is more fitting for you," the computer stated.

Sara's finger traced the drawing with her fingertip. "It's a canary," she said tenderly.

"Indeed, Miss Lance," agreed the AI. "However, the Captain wished me to stress that the true value of the timepiece is beneath the cover."

"Yeah, you mean time itself?" Sara had to smile. Leave it to Rip to subtly remind her of the importance of their mission of protecting the timeline.

"Please open the timepiece cover," the computer requested.

Sara pressed the small button and the cover sprang open. Tears burned at the back of her eyes when she saw the picture beneath the cover. Whereas Rip's pocket watch held Miranda and Jonas, his gift to her held a picture of her family on their first visit to Disney World. She and Laurel were in their preteen years and wearing cartoon mouse ears. Her parents were young and in love. Simpler times.

"Where did Rip get this picture?"

"I believe the Captain asked for it from your father during that visit to your mother's house," the computer surmised.

"Thank you, Gideon," Sara smiled. "I guess your captain gets to keep his eyes after all."

88888

"Now, that looks expensive."

Sara looked up to see Leonard Snart cast an admiring gaze on the timepiece she was wearing around her neck.

"From Rip?" he asked. At her nod, he said. "He has good taste. Breguet, right? 18-karat yellow gold. Sapphire caseback. Probably designed between late 1780s to early 1800s."

"When did you become such an expert in watches?" she raised a brow at him.

"I'm a thief and I like shiny objects," he drawled. "The Breguet watch no 160 or the Marie Antoinette was designed for the queen with the instructions to replace all possible metals and mechanisms with gold. It was ordered by a mysterious admirer of the queen, and the watch was supposedly lost and then 'found' after a full on quest was contracted for it.

"Knowing our captain, I am willing to bet that your timepiece is the original Marie Antoinette watch that he himself commissioned for the queen," Snart continued. "A replica of the Breguet's Marie Antoinette is worth upwards of ten million dollars. Yes, the reproduction of your watch is worth ten million dollars. So that pretty little thing around your neck is very likely worth at least ten to twenty times as much."

"And that explains how you're suddenly an expert," she mocked.

"An added bonus of your particular timepiece is that it gives me an excuse to look at your chest," Snart said with a caricature leer.

"Eyes up here, Snart," Sara warned.

"Not a chance, Lance," he looked at her through hooded eyes.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"So, from now on it's going to be Rip and Sara. I have to admit your names roll around the tongue easily," Snart drawled. "The dynamic duo, Rip and Sara, like a country-folk duet."

"Don't make fun," she admonished.

"Can't help it. Too good to let pass," he smirked. "I never pegged you for the marrying kind, though. What's the real story?"

"What? You're not convinced Rip and I fell madly in love with each other?" Sara asked sardonically.

"You mean between the mission to change the future for _his wife and kid_ and _your fling_ with the nurse in 1958?" Snart laughed. "Yeah, it must have been a whirlwind romance."

"It's for my parents," Sara answered seriously. "When Rip asked me to join him in working for the Time Masters, I knew I would have to say goodbye to them again. As you know, the job is dangerous. There is a strong possibility I am never coming back to this time again. It would be better for them to think that I was living happily ever after somewhere. Their peace of mind is worth the temporary discomfort of lying to them."

"What does Rip get out of it?"

"I don't know," Sara frowned, absently touching the timepiece. "You'll have to ask him."

"Lying to your family," Snart chortled. "What a great start for the adventures of Rip and Sara, Time Masters." He said the last part dramatically.

Sara looked at him sullenly.

"What have you been up to since you got back?" she asked with mild curiosity. "I was actually surprised Donna even found you. I figured you would have been on your way to prison by now."

"Actually, Felicity Smoak found me. Funny that even she had a bit of a time locating us with her skills," he said. "Interesting fact. It seems that our criminal records have been expunged. Like someone travelled back in time and deleted all records that pertained to our criminal history, leaving me and Mick with an immaculately clean slate."

"You didn't," Sara was surprised.

"Oh, I didn't," Snart laughed at the expression in her face. He nodded to where Rip Hunter stood talking to Professor Stein and Jefferson Jackson. "Our captain has been busy since he brought us back to 2016. Seems you're not the only one who has received rather valuable souvenirs from the captain. I still can't figure out why he did it, though."

"He believed you and Mick could be heroes," Sara told him while she watched Rip mingle with the other guests. "I guess he still does. He's giving you a chance to be legends in your own time."

Leonard Snart was observing Sara's warm gaze at their former captain.

"Hm, yes, I don't think it's going to stick," he said with a slight sneer. "But Mick and I had a little talk and we decided to make the most of this precious gift. I'm running for mayor next year."

"You're what now?" Sara was genuinely surprised.

"Got the idea from your friend, Oliver Queen. And with such an impeccably clean record, I can actually run for public office," Snart grinned. "Do you have any idea how much money politicians have access to?" Sara shook her head. "Lots," he smirked.

"Mick is on board with this?" she asked.

"Oh, he's thrilled," Snart said. "He has always wanted to see the City Hall burn. When, yes _when_ , I win, he can see it burn from the inside," he chuckled.

Sara looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Are you going to try and stop me, Sara?" Snart asked quietly.

"No," she said, as if making up her mind at that moment. "If the people of Central City are dumb enough to vote for you, then they deserve to have you. Besides, I think you're lying. You're not doing this for money or power. You actually want to make a difference. Rip might actually be right about you being a hero in some way."

"Sure, if it helps you sleep at night," Snart smiled. He took a step closer to her. "You know, if you're not yet fully committed to this partnership with Rip, I have a position that I think you would be very well suited for. I would have actually asked you earlier if Rip hadn't asked you first."

"You're looking for a running mate?" Sara asked scornfully.

"Yes," he answered. "But with you, there will be less running and more—"

"Stop right there," she said with disgust.

"Never took you for a prude, Sara," he mocked. "Afraid your uptight fiancé is going to love you less?"

"Oh, please," Sara rolled her eyes. "You know it's nothing like that. Rip and I have a professional relationship disguised as a romantic one to keep my parents sane."

"You sure you don't have that the other way around?" Snart asked. "Why do you think Rip was so keen about having you as a partner?"

"Because, by default, I am the only one available," she deduced. "You and Mick have an established partnership, Jax and Stein share the same body, and Ray, Kendra and Carter are just a pile of complications. Not even Rip is so masochistic to get into that."

"So you say," Snart was unmoved.

"Are you trying to suggest that our former captain _likes_ me, Snart?"

"No, I'm trying to suggest that you _like_ him back," he countered.

"I do not—"

"Fine, fine," Snart relented. "Just don't let the kid hear you say that." He motioned to the group were Jax and the geeks from STAR Labs were standing around laughing. "He's the only one who actually believes that all of this is real. He's been saying that he got you and Rip pegged since you went off together in 1975. Tells me he's been secretly rooting for the two of you to hook up since then."

"Now, why would he do that?" Sara said sadly.

"Don't worry," Snart grabbed her shoulder sympathetically. "I won't tell him of your secret indifference towards your future husband." He noticed a movement at their side. "And speak of the devil, here he comes now."

Rip nodded to Sara then turned to acknowledge Leonard Snart.

"You came," Rip said unenthusiastically.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world,"Snart mocked.

"Yes, thank you," Rip said sarcastically. "Your presence here means so very little to me."

"We can stop pretending, Captain. I already know how much you love me,"Snart smirked. "I actually came here to support you, whereas others, to quote Mick, are just here for the booze."

As if on cue, they heard the boisterous laughter of Mick Rory. He was standing beside Detective Joe West and Captain Lance. It appeared as if the rather drunk arsonist was taunting the police officers.

"Speaking of my partner, I better make sure he doesn't get himself thrown into jail tonight," Snart moved to walk away.

Rip stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"I'll be taking that back now, Mr. Snart," Rip held up an open palm.

Snart smiled at him through hooded eyes. "Nothing gets past you," he said as he placed the object in Rip's hand.

"After you picked the jump ship's access key from my pocket, I have always made certain to check on my valuables whenever you're around," Rip retorted.

"Yes, you should keep a close eye on your valuables," Snart gave a meaningful sidewise glance at Sara. "I might just be interested enough to steal them away."

Snart gave a mocking salute and walked away.

"What did he take?" Sara asked curiously.

Rip turned to her and held up her timepiece necklace. Sara gasped as her hand instinctively reached for her bare throat.

"That son of a bitch," Sara swore. "When did he even—"

"He's a very clever, talented son of a bitch," Rip murmured with reluctant admiration. "May I?"

Rip gestured with the timepiece. Sara turned around to allow him to fasten the necklace around her neck.

"Have I thanked you for this yet?" Sara touched the cover of the timepiece with her fingertips.

"You may have," Rip whispered in her ear while he stood behind her. "But it's possible I didn't quite hear you because my brain was muddled with processing how lovely you look tonight."

Sara turned to face him slowly.

"Captain Hunter, are you flirting with me?" she teased.

"Well, I have been informed that in 21st century America, it is customary to flirt with one's fiancée," he smiled at her.

She opened her mouth to respond when a very familiar voice spoke up from behind them.

"Interesting group of friends you have here, Sara."

"Ollie!" Sara rushed to embrace the good looking man. She held his face in her hand and gazed at him with such tenderness. "It's so good to see you so young. And so intact." She grabbed his upper arms.

Oliver Queen eyed her strangely. Rip gently pulled Sara back to his side and kept a hand firmly on her waist, rather possessively.

"She means, it's good to see you well and healthy," Rip amended. Sara raised a brow at him. "I'm Captain Rip Hunter." Rip extended his hand.

"You're the time-traveler from the future. The one with a spaceship," Oliver stated as he shook Rip's hand.

"The one and only," Rip verified. "And you're Oliver Queen, former billionaire playboy, now masked archer and the savior of Star City?"

"I am not sure I agree with that description," Oliver smiled. "You're Sara's fiancé?" Oliver asked.

"So it seems," Rip agreed.

If Oliver thought that was a peculiar answer, he didn't say a word but regarded them with interest.

"And where is your better half?" Sara asked cheerfully.

"She's answering a phone call," he smiled. "But we actually aren't –"

"Sara!" Felicity Smoak almost squealed when she caught sight of her friend. Sara and Felicity hurried to each other's side and held each other warmly.

"I am so sorry about this, I wanted to put a stop to it but I had no way of knowing what you wanted," Felicity stammered.

"What are you talking about?" Sara smiled. She had missed hearing Felicity's flight of thoughts.

"Your engagement party," she clarified. "I know my mother. She probably pushed you into this, didn't she? I tell you, she can find any excuse to throw a party. It doesn't take much. She will find a reason to throw a party for dog droppings if you let her."

"Actually, in this case, it was my father who suggested the party," Sara said.

"Oh no, she got to him!" Felicity was genuinely distressed.

Sara laughed as she pulled her towards the gentlemen.

"This is Rip Hunter," she introduced them. "Rip, Felicity Smoak."

"You're the time-traveling spaceman from the future?" Felicity smiled.

"Not quite a spaceman," Rip grinned as he clasped Felicity's hand with both of his. "I must say that I am quite honored to finally meet you. I have been an admirer of your work since I discovered my propensity for invention. Your creations with Smoak Technologies, I am not afraid to tell you, has been fundamental in shaping the future. You cannot believe how many times your technology has saved my life. In fact, I invented the Time Sphere solely on the basis of the technology that you and your company built. You are an inspiration, a truly remarkable woman, Miss Smoak."

"Wow, thank you. Please call me Felicity," she blushed. "I love your accent."

Oliver cleared his throat and smoothly pulled Felicity's entrapped hand from Rip's grasp.

"I think they're playing our song," he said as he motioned to the playing band. He turned to Rip, "it was a pleasure meeting you," he said dismissively as he lead Felicity to the dance floor.

"We have a song?" Felicity asked as she walked with him.

Rip and Sara watched as Oliver Queen took Felicity Smoak in his arms and the couple swayed to the music.

"Now that's a side of you I've never seen before," Sara remarked to Rip. "You're a Felicity Smoak fanboy."

"Don't be ridiculous," Rip snorted. "What's a fanboy?"

"A really, really enthusiastic admirer," Sara laughed.

"I was merely expressing my appreciation for her superb work. Her contribution to the field of science and technology are simply—"

"Remarkable," Sara finished for him. "Yes, I heard. Have you been taking lessons from Stein?"

Rip looked at her sourly.

"How could you not tell me?!"

Rip and Sara turned together to find themselves in the receiving end of Dinah's stormy glare.

"Sara, I am your mother," Dinah was in the verge of tears. "How could you not tell me?"

"Mom, I don't—" Sara started. "You're going to have to be more specific."

Dinah was enraged.

"Grandchildren!" she fairly screamed. "I heard Donna and Quentin talking about grandchildren. They did not mean for me to hear it, I am sure. They were whispering and giggling and looking at you with meaningful glances. How could you not tell me you're pregnant!?"

There was absolute silence in the ballroom. The last sentence was uttered in time with the end of the musical number. All eyes were turned to them. Awkward silence.

"Maybe we should talk about this more privately," Rip suggested.

He ushered the women to a private balcony at the side of the ballroom. He closed the door behind them.

"Mom, I am not pregnant," Sara was exasperated. "Rip and I haven't – We have been – er…"

She looked at Rip for help.

"Careful," he ventured. "We have been careful. Yes, very careful. One could say monastically careful."

Sara glowered at him.

"Mom, I swear to you, I am not pregnant," Sara repeated. "Donna must have meant something else."

The balcony door opened and Donna peaked inside.

"This is my fault, isn't it?" she guessed correctly. She stepped into the balcony to join them.

"Donna, tell me why you and Quentin were talking about grandchildren," Dinah demanded.

"I'm so sorry," Donna included Rip and Sara in her apology. "It was just so nice to see Oliver and Felicity on the dance floor. My fantasies just went wild and I started imagining how many of the eight grandchildren would be Felicity's and how many of them would be Sara's."

"Why do you think there'd be eight?" Dinah asked.

"Because eight is such a nice whole number?" Donna stammered.

"So, you're not pregnant," Dinah turned to Sara.

"No, Mom, I'm not," she said.

"Alright," Dinah sighed. "I'm sorry I accused you of keeping things from me. I should know by now that you wouldn't lie to me about something as important as that."

Sara smiled uneasily.

"On one hand, I'm glad to know you didn't keep that from me," Dinah continued. "But on the other hand, I can't believe how deeply disappointed I feel right now that I know you're not having a baby."

Donna patted her arm sympathetically.

"Imagining a new baby in the family gives such a warm feeling," Donna commiserated. "And just think of what we would do in the baby shower."

Dinah perked up. "Oh, a baby shower," she gushed. "If Felicity gets pregnant first, you have to let me help you throw that party. I have so many ideas for a future tech genius."

"Oh, yes, I can see it now," Donna linked her arm to Dinah's and both mothers left the balcony in cheerful spirits.

They barely saw Felicity who was standing behind the balcony door. She watched them walk away in wonder.

"Hey," she greeted Rip and Sara. "I saw my mother follow you in here and thought I'd come rescue you."

"Actually, she's been doing most of the rescuing for the past couple of days," Sara said. "She claims she's not very smart but her sharp mind has been saving us from very awkward moments. Though, admittedly, some of those awkward moments were her own making. She just doesn't seem to be very good at keeping quiet."

"Yes," Felicity agreed. "That's something she passed on to me. Why couldn't she pass on her naturally blond hair?" Felicity touched her own hair. "I hope I don't pass that on to my kids."

Sara smiled. "Speaking of kids, are you planning on having eight kids?"

"Eight?" Felicity balked. "As an only child, I've always dreamed of having a houseful of kids. But eight is too much."

She looked at Rip with interest. "You're from the future. Do you know how many kids I have in the future?"

"Yes, I do," Rip said simply.

"Well?" Felicity said expectantly.

"A houseful," Rip smiled. "All of them with genius level IQs. None of them have to dye their hair blond."

Felicity gave a delighted laugh and practically bounced merrily back to the ballroom. Rip watched her leave with a fond smile.

Sara punched him in the arm. Hard.

"Ouch!" he cried in pain. "What was that for?"

"I have asked you, even begged you, to tell me about my future and you wouldn't even give me one clue," she said hotly. "Felicity doesn't even ask you a direct question and you tell her everything she wants to know!"

"I didn't tell her anything that would disrupt the timeline," he barked. "And if you noticed, I did not give her anything specific."

"You told her she is going to have a houseful of blond geniuses!" she growled back. "Why won't you let me find out if I'm going to have kids?"

"I can't," he said grimly. "Just leave it be, Sara."

"No," she said firmly. "If we're going to do this, if we're going to be partners, I need to know."

They stared at each other for a long intense minute. Finally, Rip sighed and handed her an earpiece he took out from his pocket. Rip touched the communicator in his ear as Sara placed hers in.

"Gideon," he said. "Miss Lance has a question for you."

"Yes, Captain," the computer's voice resounded in Sara's ear.

"I'll leave you to talk," Rip said softly.

Sara watched him leave with her heart beating strangely in her chest. She was about to know her future. But she wasn't sure she wanted to find out about it on her own. She wanted to call out to him, ask him to stay, and hear about her future together.

"Gideon," her voice was shaky at first. She cleared her throat. "You told me that my father and Donna Smoak are going to have eight grandchildren," she started. Her heart was beating wildly. "How many of those children are going to be mine?"

"Two, Miss Lance," Gideon answered. Sara's breath was caught in her throat. "Twins. One boy, one girl."

"But there are no history of twins in my family," Sara interrupted nervously.

"It is a trait passed on from their father's side, Miss Lance," the computer explained.

"Their father's side," Sara repeated vaguely. Her children's father. "They got it from their father."

"Yes, Miss Lance," Gideon affirmed. "From you, they will inherit their blonde hair and from their father, they will inherit his eye color."

 _His eyes_. _"…He has your eyes…"_

Sara closed her eyes and saw his eyes vividly. She suddenly knew whose eyes her children were going to inherit.

"Miss Lance, if you are interested," Gideon interrupted her thoughts, "your children's names are going to be—"

"Michael Jon and Michelle Laurel," Sara finished.

"Indeed, Miss Lance."

"Thank you, Gideon," she whispered. "That's all I need to know."

She exited the balcony and found Rip standing alone under a dimly lit alcove.

"You heard?" she gestured to the communicator. He nodded self-consciously. "How long have you known?"

"I didn't, not really. Like I told you before, the future is always in flux and the decisions that we make, the words that we say can change the future at any given time," he answered. "Gideon alerted me to a change in your future timeline when I recruited you but I didn't take much notice of it because it was an expected consequence for some form of alteration to occur when you decided to come with me. It wasn't until recently that I realized Gideon was warning me about the alteration in your timeline because is coincided with a significant change in mine. When you accepted my invitation for partnership, I thought that was the change. But then you started asking about your father's grandchildren, curiosity got the better of me, so I asked Gideon about it."

"Why didn't you want me to know?" she asked.

"I suppose I was afraid you wouldn't want to be my partner anymore if you knew," Rip admitted. He fidgeted with the end of his coat. "I have become very accustomed to having you around. I didn't want to risk losing you."

"You thought that if I found out that I am meant to have your kids, I wouldn't be your partner anymore?" she asked incredulously. "I made a commitment to you, Rip. If I didn't leave the team after facing certain death and even when you all but admitted that you would sell us out, do you really think I would back out of my promise because of what _might_ _happen_. For all we know, that future timeline won't even happen now that we both know it's a possibility."

"That's true," Rip said in realization. He activated the earpiece inside this ear. "Gideon, please check the future timeline for children borne of Miss Lance."

"I believe I already did that for Miss Lance," Gideon answered.

"Please check again," Rip insisted.

"Miss Lance shall have two children. Twins, one boy and one girl," Gideon recited. "They shall be named Michael Jon and Michelle Laurel."

"By the way, how did you know their names?" Rip turned to Sara.

"I guess I just knew I was going to name my son after his father and my daughter after my sister," Sara said with a small shrug. "When Gideon described them, I thought of you."

"Maybe, I'm not the Michael that they're named after," Rip suggested. "Gideon? Is there another Michael who might become romantically linked with Miss Lance?"

"No, Sir," Gideon responded. "Michael Jon and Michelle Laurel are the children of Miss Sara Lance and Captain Rip Hunter."

"Perhaps in another Earth or alternate universe?" Rip started. "They have discovered 52 other—"

"No, Captain!" Gideon interrupted. "You and Miss Lance are going to have two children in the future, Michael and Michelle, in this universe. You and Miss Lance are going to have a lovely family, and live happily ever after, with your family traveling through time and space!"

Rip and Sara cringed as Gideon's last word was punctuated with shrill beep followed by absolute silence from the computer's end.

"Gideon?" Rip called out.

No response.

"I think you hurt her feelings when you second guessed her assessment of the future timeline," Sara said.

Rip snorted. "And how many times has she second guessed my assessments?" he said with annoyance. "If anyone should be upset about second guessing, it should be me."

"Rip," Sara said calmly. "She's a computer."

"She started it," Rip muttered under his breath.

Sara shook her head in mild exasperation.

"Anyway, this future of ours doesn't really make sense," said Sara. "How can we have children if we have never even hugged?"

"I honestly don't know," answered Rip. "But I suppose we can test it out a bit."

"What are you suggesting?" Sara eyed him suspiciously. Her arms crossed over her chest.

"Nothing lascivious," Rip said immediately. "I merely meant that, as you stated, we should at least… hug."

"OK," Sara allowed after a few seconds of silence.

Each took a small step towards each other. Rip opened his arms and Sara walked into them.

Her arms wrapped around his neck. Her body fit perfectly into his, like puzzle pieces.

Rip closed his eyes, buried his face in her hair and pulled her closer. It felt like coming home.

Sara nuzzled his neck and experienced a feeling of warmth and contentment that she had not felt for a very long time.

She also felt something else. Something strangely solid.

"Rip?" she said softly close to his ear.

"Hm?" Rip continued to hold her close.

"Is that the stun gun in your pocket or are you thinking about the surveillance video from the fabricator room?" Sara's gentle tone was laced with ferocity.

Rip's eyes flew open.

"Actually, that is the stun gun," he admitted. "But now that you mentioned the security footage…"

Sara pushed against him to look at his face. He was teasing her. She thumped his chest in mild annoyance. She kept her hands on his chest.

Rip chuckled but kept his arms around her waist.

"I don't think the future will make sense any time soon," Rip gazed into her eyes intimately. "But I think the best part about knowing the future is discovering how they come to be."

"I agree," Sara smiled up at him. She looked meaningfully at his arms that were still around her. "Now that that's settled, should we stop hugging now?"

"Let's give it a few more minutes, just to be absolutely sure," Rip tugged her willing body close to his again.

Sara gave a small smile and rested her head on his shoulder. "Just a few more minutes," she agreed.

 **The End**

P.S. Yes, I know, I just ruined the DC universe. Michael Jon Carter and Michelle (I added Laurel) Carter are supposed to be Rip's father (Booster Gold) and aunt (Goldstar), respectively. But their names and their roles in Rip Hunter's adventures fit the story I wanted to tell. Sorry, not really sorry.

Oh, and, the story about the Breguet's Marie Antoinette is based on the story released by Breguet company website.


End file.
